it explains the role of Medico-social worker and the areas where MSW will work.

1. ROLE OF MEDICO-SOCIAL WORKER
(MSW)

2. • Social work aims at adjustment of an individual
or a group within the society.
• When the client is admitted to the hospital,
certain adjustment problems will exist between
the client and physician or the hospital and
between the client, his family and the
community at large.
• The social worker, who is professionally
trained in maintaining good human relationship
will shoulders and executes responsibility in
meeting the welfare needs of the society.

3. • MSW acts as a liaison officer between the client,
family and the rehabilitation team apart from
nurse.
• MSW is well familiar with the clients’ background
and tries to bring adjustment between the client
and his environment.
• MSW provides individualised services to the client
and tries to make the client to understand their
needs, familiarises circumstances, promotes
earlier recovery, aids in ultimate adjustment of the
client to the family and society; an integration of
physical and social aspects of the client by
establishing constructively an active associated
relationship.

4. • Based on the needs of the individual client,
MSW will identify the resources and funding
agencies who are ready to assist the disabled
client, corresponds with the respective social
welfare agencies assist the clients in
maintaining or meeting the rehabilitative
measures.
• MSW makes the client accept himself and
practices healthier lifestyle by accepting his
limitations due to disability.
• MSW makes the client to accommodate in his
own working environment prior to the disability
and if any maladjustment occurs,

5. • he will find the ways to place the client
according to his ability and limitations in a
suitable substituted working setup, where the
client will be free from internal conflicts and to
lead economically independent with higher
psychological integratedness by attaining
emotional maturity.
• MSW organises social awareness campaigns
to enrich the community about legal
provisions, benefits rendered by government.

6. The Areas of Work by the MSW
• Organises IEC activities to increase the
awareness of public about social welfare
activities
• Assists in implementation of national health
programmes at community level
• Functions effectively in maternity and child
welfare centres
• Organises guidance and counseling services

7. • Informs the focus group about welfare
measure such as early registration of antenatal
mothers at health centres; institutional delivery,
family welfare activities, immunisation, early
detection of high risk cases, maternity benefits
schemes, registration of vital elements
• For the physically challenged child like polio,
the MSW assists in rehabilitation activities by
providing necessary accessories like calipers,
working aids, etc.

8. • Assists in meeting the needs of children with
mentally challenged such as cerebral palsy by
informing the parents about specialised
schools and institutions like care centres like:
Spastic society of India
• In case of social stigma associated diseases
like AIDS, venereal disease, leprosy and
tuberculosis the MSW assist in rehabilitation
activities and placing the client in a suitable
environment where they will be free from
psychological insults and promotes early
recovery and make them selfsufficient in
economic welfare.

9. • Provides family guidance services to meet the
needs of the clients in a healthier, happier
familial environment.
• Collaborates and coordinates with various
voluntary health organisations in order to meet
the social and economic needs of the clients.
• In case of infirmaries, i.e. chronically ill
patients the medicosocial worker will assist
them in curative, rehabilitative and restorative
measures. Counsels the family members in
meeting the needs of the client and accept the
clients’ problems as it is and helps in prognosis
or recovery

10. • In psychiatric clinics or mental hospitals MSW assist
the psychiatric team members in assessing I.Q levels
and categorising or diagnosing the clients’ condition;
based on his capacities and limitation assist the
occupational therapist and the client in establishing
regenerative, restorative rehabilitative activities.
• Identifies the financial resources and voluntary
agencies for implementing vocational, physical, social,
educational rehabilitative measures.
• Organises guidance and counseling services to the
family, client and needy group. Directs the client for
suitable jobs by modifying the life style pattern;
maintains healthier relationships; acts as a liaison
officer between community resources, family, client
and psychiatry team.

11. • In general hospitals the MSW maintains
humanitarian relationship between health team
members, families, clients. Organises and
shoulders active participation in
implementation of healthier social activities in
the institutional set up.
• Promotes health related social activities at
grass-root level by activating the community
activities. Maximum efficient measures will be
promoted among the community to built up
model villages

12. • In specialised clinics, like diabetes, STD,
cancer hospitals assist the health activities
awareness campaigns in self-care modalities
and practices, promoting healthier life style,
adaptation of good methodology and
techniques in promoting their health,
preventing the occurrence of complications,
reduces the incidence and prevalence of
diseases by actively collaborating health
awareness measures.

13. Thank you